Shamrock Rovers do the necessary but fall agonisingly short in title race

Rovers’ Aaron McEneff dejected after the game. Pic: Ryan Byrne/ Inpho

Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 2 (Kenny 4’, Watts 54’) Waterford 1 (Amond 69’)

Shamrock Rovers more than played their part in one of the most enthralling endings to the season doing their job to overcome an impressive Waterford, but was ultimately in vain due to Shelbourne’s late winner in Derry.

Having been written off by many in the title race and finding themselves an incredible 13 points behind Shelbourne at the start of September, The Hoops had shown tremendous consistency to take it to the last day.

And Stephen Bradley’s men were eager to continue this fine form as they looked to pile the pressure on Damien Duff’s Shelbourne as they raced into the lead with less than four minutes played.

Hitting the Blues on the break, after the visitors poured forward for a set piece, Graham Burke picked up the ball wide on the left and instantly sprayed a glorious through ball towards Ireland under-21 International Johnny Kenny.

The ball ricocheted off of the outstretched Shane Flynn who tried desperately to get back and recover but fell kindly into Kenny’s path who was coolness personified to lift the ball over the helpless Sam Sargeant for his 13th of the campaign to go level with opposing striker Padraig Amond in the top scorer charts and put his side top as things stood.

Although there was little no talk of Waterford in the week building up to the final countdown, ex-Bohemians boss Keith Long, with a number of former Gypsies in his squad, would have loved nothing more than to try to spoil a Shamrock Rovers party and nearly did so not long after.

A dangerously delivered ball from deep on the right towards Padraig Amond was not dealt with by the Rovers rearguard and sat up invitingly for Connor Parsons who, unmarked from 12-yards out, volleyed straight at grateful Leon Pohls when either side of the German keeper would have been an equaliser.

Played at breakneck speed, both sides created glorious opportunities to find the net as the visitors edged possession. A number of set pieces rained down on Pohls, but his side looked deadly on the counterattack down the right-hand side, one of which saw Darragh Burns burst into the area before cutting back for the goalscorer, Kenny, who just failed to make the correct contact to double his sides lead.

The relentless pace showed no signs of slowing down after the break with the hosts ramping up the pressure further on Shelbourne. Initially, Neil Farrguia controlled Burns' cross from the right before smashing off the bar from close range and from a few yards out Dylan Watts, just as he has done in the last couple of weeks, got yet another massive goal for his club.

But the drama wasn’t finished just yet as the lead was halved with just over 20 minutes remaining following a swift move down the right-hand side, Amond showed great movement to finish expertly from close range.

With nerves reverberating around Tallaght the 36-year-old was doing his best to salvage a point for his side as he was inches away from levelling moments later, only to see his looping header clip the top of the crossbar.

In a bittersweet ending to the night, the home side managed to hold on for all three points as the players and staff waited around for the news to filter through that Shelbourne also got themselves over the line to take their crown.

Even though their incredible run came to a halt at the final hurdle, Stephen Bradley and Co. will have no time to mull over what might have been as, just over the horizon, their impressive Europa Conference League run continues into the “off-season” with an intriguing-looking home tie with Welsh side The New Saints on Thursday night evening.

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Joshua Honohan, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Darragh Burns, Dylan Watts, Gary O’Neill (Markus Poom, 81’), Jack Byrne (Aaron McEneff68’), Neil Farrugia; Graham Burke (Aaron Greene, 68’), Johnny Kenny (Marc McNulty, 81’).

Waterford: Sam Sargeant; Darragh Power, Grant Horton, Darragh Leahy, Kacper Radkowski, Shane Flynn (Ryan Burke, 61’); Dean McMenamy (Rowan McDonald, 72’), Ben McCormack, Barry Baggley, Connor Parsons (Christie Pattison, 80’), Padraig Amond.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin)